The long term goal of our current research is to elucidatemolecular mechanisms involved in the formation of basal deposits in maculardegeneration. I have a strongresearch background in molecular and cellular biology as well as . My research has involvedusing cell culture technology, including pharmacogenetics, epigenetics, primarycultures, shRNA technology, genetic engineering (CRISPR/Cas9) and Next Generation Sequencing. During the last 4 years, my research has been focused on aging-related complexdisorders of the eye. I have developed an in vitrosystem to characterize the formation of sub-RPE deposits in a mouse model of EFEMP1-associated macular degeneration.I have used this model to investigate the mechanisms involving complement inthe pathology of the mutation p. Arg345Trp in EFEMP1 in mice.  Currently I am also using primary fetal humanRPE cells as well as engineered cell lines to continue the studies aboutformation of basal deposits in human RPE cells.

           GarlandDL, Fernandez-Godino R, Kaur I, Speicher KD, Harnly JM, Lambris JD,Speicher DW, Pierce EA. Mouse genetics and proteomic analyses demonstrate acritical role for complement in a model of DHRD/ML, an inherited maculardegeneration. Human Molecular Genetics23:52-68, 2013. PMID:23943789

B.            Fernandez-Godino R, Garland DL, Pierce EA.  A LocalComplement Response by RPE Causes Early-Stage Macular Degeneration. Human Molecular Genetics 2015 Jul 21.pii: ddv287. [Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 26199322.

               Fernandez-Godino R, Pierce EA, Garland DL. Extracellular matrix alterations and deposit formation in AMD. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2016;854:53-8. PMID: 26427393 

               Fernandez-Godino R,Garland DL and Pierce EA. A protocol for theisolation, culture and characterization of polarized primary RPE cells frommice. Nature protocols. 2016. In press.